Loading charge for bursting shells for guns, torpedo-heads, maritime mines, and the like.



. trinitrotoluol.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST SOKOLOWSKI, OF HAMBURG, GER/MANY,

ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONI DE NEIVIGUBS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LOADING, CHARGE FOR BURSTING SHELLS FOR GUNS, TORPEDO-HEADS, MARITIME MINES, AND THE LIKE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Ennsr SoKoLowsKI, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Hamburg, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Loading Charges for Bursting Shells for Guns, Torpedo-Heads, Maritime Mines, and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists in forming the major portion of the bursting charge of fused or pressed trinitrotoluol, which is therefore densified and with a small portion of the bursting charge formed of plastic trinitrotoluol.

In carrying out my invention, the major portion of the projectile is filled, in the well known manner, with fused trinitrotoluol, with or without the application of pressure by means of compressed air or gas. This material is then chilled and the unfilled portion of the projectile is filled with plastic Instead of loading the charge directly into the projectile, it may be loaded into a container formed of pasteboard or other material used. for containers. IV here I use as the main charge strongly ressed trinitrotoluol, plastic trinitrotoluol is used for filling the remaining empty space after the major portion of .the projectile has been filled with the strongly pressed trini-. trotoluol in the known manner.

The advantages of my invention are numerous. The plastic trinitrotoluol used propagates more readily and with more certainty the detonation. of the primer, on account of its properties in this respect, than the more inert fused or strongly pressed trinitrotoluol is capable of effecting alone. The plastic trinitrotoluol, rapidly developing its full power of detonation, acts in the manner of a strong priming charge, propagating the detonation with great certainty upon the principal part of the explosive charge. Owing to the great certainty of this propagation the priming charge of the primer can be reduced to a minimum The presence of strong cap, for instance No. 8, containing 2 g. fulminate mixture, is suflicient to insure the detonation without neces- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan; 16,1912.

Application filed June 9, 1911. Serial No. 632,206.

sitating a special igniting charge. Notwithstanding this, however, it is advisable to embed the cap in a small igniting. charge near the fuse. The same consists of a small. short metal cap loaded with plastic or weakly pressed trinitrotoluol. The new method, therefore, is especially suitable for projectiles with narrow mouth holes and small priming dimensions, for the purpose of replacing in an easy and simple manner the old bursting charges of'powder used heretofore by modern brisant explosives charges. My invention can'be readily used with projectiles with either a small or with a large mouth hole. It is suitable either where the charge is placed directly into the projectile and where it is placed in charge containers. In the former case a certain increasing of the explosives charge is possible, bringing about an increased e'lliciency, due to the fact that the explosives charge bearing against the wall of the projectile is more strongly incascd than when using containers made of pasteboard or the like. My invention, furthermore, renders it. possible in the caseof projectiles with a narrow mouth or bottom hole to place into the same a brisant explosives charge of a considerably higher density than is possible when using plastic trinitrotoluol alone.

When I use the term densified as applied to the trinitrotoluol, I intend to include both fused and pressed trinitrotoluol.

Having now fully described my invention, what- I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A loading charge for bursting shells, comprising densified trinitrotoluol and plastic trinitrotoluol.

2. A loading charge for bursting shells,

. the major portion of which charge is densified trinitrotoluol and the remainder of the charge plastic trinitrotoluol.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Hamburg, on this 24th day of May, 1911.

ERNST SOICOLOIVSKI.

Witnesses:

Pun. PIIOKION NAOUM, ERNEST H. L. MUMMENIIOFF. 

